Chapter XIV.--Simon Refuted.
"But if, as you say, it will be possible to know Him, because He is now revealed to all through Jesus, [1384] are you not stating what is most unjust, when you say that these men did not know Him, who were the seven pillars of the world, and who were able to please the most just God, and that so many now from all nations who were impious know Him in every respect? Were not those who were superior to every one not deemed worthy to know Him? [1385] And how can that be good which is not just? unless you wish to give the name of good,' not to him who does good to those who act justly, but to him who loves the unjust, even though they do not believe, and reveals to them the secrets which he would not reveal to the just. But such conduct is befitting neither in one who is good nor just, but in one who has come to hate the pious. Are not you, Simon, the standing one, who have the boldness to make these statements which never have been so made before?"
[1384] The text is corrupt. We have placed dia to after eidenai.
[1385] Another reading is: "Were not those deemed better worthy than any one else to know Him?"
Chapter XV.--Matthew XI. 25 Discussed.
And Simon, being vexed at this, said: "Blame your own teacher, who said, I thank Thee, Lord of heaven and earth, that what was concealed from the wise, Thou hast revealed to suckling babes.'" [1386] And Peter said: "This is not the way in which the statement was made; but I shall speak of it as if it had been made in the way that has seemed good to you. Our Lord, even if He had made this statement, What was concealed from the wise, the Father revealed to babes,' could not even thus be thought to point out another God and Father in addition to Him who created the world. For it is possible that the concealed things of which He spoke may be those of the Creator (Demiurge) himself; because Isaiah [1387] says, I will open my mouth in parables, and I will belch forth things concealed from the foundation of the world.' Do you allow, then, that the prophet was not ignorant of the things concealed, which Jesus says were concealed from the wise, but revealed to babes? And how was the Creator (Demiurge) ignorant of them, if his prophet Isaiah was not ignorant of them? But our Jesus did not in reality say what was concealed,' but He said what seems a harsher statement; for He said, Thou hast concealed these things from the wise, and [1388] hast revealed them to sucking babes.' Now the word Thou hast concealed' implies that they had once been known to them; for the key of the kingdom of heaven, that is, the knowledge of the secrets, lay with them.
[1386] Matt. xi. 25; [Luke x. 21; comp. Recognitions, iv. 5].
[1387] The passage does not occur in Isaiah, but in Ps. lxxviii. 2. The words are quoted not from the LXX., but from the Gospel of Matthew (xiii. 35), where in somemss. they are attributed to Isaiah. See Uhlhorn, p. 119.
[1388] The words in italics are omitted in the mss.; but the context leaves no doubt that they were once in the text.
Chapter XVI.--These Things Hidden Justly from the Wise.
"And do not say He acted impiously towards the wise in hiding these things from them. Far be such a supposition from us. For He did not act impiously; but since they hid the knowledge of the kingdom, [1389] and neither themselves entered nor allowed those who wished to enter, on this account, and justly, inasmuch as they hid the ways from those who wished, were in like manner the secrets hidden from them, in order that they themselves might experience what they had done to others, and with what measure they had measured, an equal measure might be meted out to them. [1390] For to him who is worthy to know, is due that which he does not know; but from him who is not worthy, even should he seem to have any thing it is taken away, [1391] even if he be wise in other matters; and it is given to the worthy, even should they be babes as far as the times of their discipleship are concerned.
[1389] Luke xi. 52.
[1390] Matt. vii. 2; [Luke vi. 38].
[1391] Luke viii. 18.